Possibly the best days racing in Europe with the Arc the centre piece of a feast of thoroughbred horse racing. Let’s hope it stays dry all day at Chantilly so the horses can really shine.
1:10 CHA Total Prix Marcel Boussac – Criterium des Pouliches (Group 1) (2yo Fillies) (Turf) 1m
Dabyah must have a real chance in this race with any amount of improvement possible after just two runs and a convincing victory at Newbury over 7f on soft ground last time out. Toulifaut looks the best French chance and holds Normandel on their latest running. Promise To Be True is the Aidan O’Brien hope but she went backwards on her last run and Wuheida is in at the deep end for Godolphin after only one run but must be well thought of to attempt this test.
1 unit E/W Dabyah
1:45 CHA Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (Grand Criterium) (Group 1) (2yo Colts & Fillies) (Turf) 1m
Whitecliffsofdover will be well fancied to take this race but the proximity of all the runners in the last outing suggests he isn’t a world beater but a good horse nonetheless. King Of Spades looks to have place chances but we think this race will go to Kontrastat whose win at Saint Cloud was the best on offer and he should come on again for that run.
2 units e/w Kontrastat
2:10 TIP Coolmore Stud Home Of Champions Concorde Stakes (Group 3) 7f100y
This race revolves around three horses. Flight Risk, who has seen the back of the Happy Prince twice now and will probably do so again. The former has flourished in these back end races but steps up again in trip on much slower ground and might just have to give best to Jet Setting for Adrian Keatley who was winning all sorts as a trainer earlier in the year. Jet Setting has been against the best and this is by far her easiest contest over a trip and ground that will cause her no problems at all.
1 unit e/w Jet Setting
2:20 CHA Prix de l´Opera Longines (Group 1) (3yo+ Fillies & Mares) (Turf) 1m2f
Pleascach is one of our favourite horses but she is just below the level required to win this race. Speedy Boarding was a bit of a revelation when winning at Deauville and has to be fancied with the Jean Claude Rouget runner, Jemayel also coming in to the reckoning after her second to La Cressonniere. They will all have to go to beat So Mi Dar who had a nice warm up race after a break at Yarmouth and looks as good as ever for this contest.
3 units win So Mi Dar
3:05 CHA Qatar Prix de l´Arc de Triomphe (Group 1) (3yo+ No Geldings) (Turf) 1m4f
The German Runner, Savoir Vivre hasn’t done anything wrong in the warm up with a good win at Deauville but may fall short in this classy renewal. New Bay went close last year to Golden Horn but hasn’t looked the same horse recently. Dermot Welds Derby winner, Harzand didn’t look great in Ireland but that was over a trip short of his best and he will be a different horse in this race. Found was the only one to push Almanzor at Leopardstown and she deserves a big win after so many seconds but it’s been a long season for her. Order of St George is the outsider that worries us most. He has real class and travels brilliantly but we will leave him out on the basis that this race is normally won with a turn of foot by real class and he might just lack that. Is Postponed that horse? He travels amazingly and then can quicken so it’s logical he will be well fancied and is the clear favourite. This is his chance. He may well win but our eye is drawn to the Japanese runner Makahiki who can race over 10f and 12f with the very best. Thankfully they have refrained from trying their own riders again and Christophe Lemaire will do a good job. The drawn hasn’t been kind in 14 and he will be ridden a way back but he likes that and this isn’t the biggest field we have seen.
1 unit e/w Makahiki
4:35 CHA Qatar Prix de l´Abbaye de Longchamp (Group 1) (2yo+) (Turf) 5f
If the rain stays off then Goldream will finish the season as he started but he is ground dependent and any rain dampens both the track and our enthusiasm. Just Glamorous was a revelation last time out and George Baker thinks there is more to come from this horse. There will need to but at 3 he is getting better every run. To us it looks like another win for Meccas Angel who ran another huge figure last time out to triumph and with luck in running is too good for these.
1 unit e/w Meccas Angel
5:15 CHA Qatar Prix de la Foret (Group 1) (3yo+) (Turf) 7f
We get the chance in the last race to finish on a high with Limato, who steps back up to 7f and will be too strong for what looks to be a decent field without being an ultra competitive one.
4 units win Limato.
